Depression

Depression affects people in Australia every day. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with depression.

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BeyondBlue Hello! Read this if you're not sure how to get started
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Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for ... View more

Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for coming this far, we know it can be really hard to take these steps if depression is in your life - we see you and think this is a great step. To get the most out of this space we have a few tips: Get involved. The Forums work best for you when you get active and post where you can. Now, we know that can be really hard, especially when you are experiencing depression. So, if you can post something supportive to someone else here, that would be an incredible start. Speak from the heart. This community wants to know how YOU feel and what has worked for YOU. We trust that you have something unique to say and we can’t wait to hear it. Check in. Lots of the discussions in this section of the Forums have been going for years and they are some of the richest conversations we have. Keep checking in to get new ideas and offer your support. We know it can be tough to start, but when you are ready we want to hear your thoughts. If you need some time to get to know the community, that's okay! Have a look around and see where you want to get involved. Thank you for being here! Beyond Blue

Jeriava How do I talk to my doctor?
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I’ve been struggling with my life for the past 7-8 years but I finally made an appointment with a doctor. I feel really scared though because I don’t ever go to the doctor for anything, and I havent seen this doctor for so many years that I’m really ... View more

I’ve been struggling with my life for the past 7-8 years but I finally made an appointment with a doctor. I feel really scared though because I don’t ever go to the doctor for anything, and I havent seen this doctor for so many years that I’m really scared that they’ll judge me or won’t believe anything I say. I’m really anti social so I feel like I won’t be able to say what I wanna say or I’ll say the wrong thing causing them to just dismiss me and move me along without helping. I’m just tired of feeling alone, depressed and just worthless but I’m really scared to talk to them.

AGrace SELF HELP TIPS FOR MANAGING DEPRESSION
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Hi Everyone, Here are some ideas you might like to try for managing symptoms of depression. Of course everyone's different, so let us know what works for you, and please feel free to add to the list... Mindfulness – through breathing or engaging the ... View more

Hi Everyone, Here are some ideas you might like to try for managing symptoms of depression. Of course everyone's different, so let us know what works for you, and please feel free to add to the list... Mindfulness – through breathing or engaging the 5 senses Distress Tolerance – Accepting Emotions and Self Soothing Distraction – Put the thoughts/feelings aside and come back to them when you are ready to deal with them Positive Affirmations – Have some affirmations written down repeat them to yourself daily Sleep/Exercise/Diet – All 3 aspects of our lifestyle can impact the way we think/feel Increasing Pleasurable Activities – Engage in at least one pleasurable activity per day

All discussions

That Other Guy Not getting better
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Three years ago my wife said she wanted to leave me, pushed my into an open marriage and cheated on me. At the time I was drinking 20 standard drinks a day. She still refuses to live with me but we get along and see each other. I moved in with my sic... View more

Three years ago my wife said she wanted to leave me, pushed my into an open marriage and cheated on me. At the time I was drinking 20 standard drinks a day. She still refuses to live with me but we get along and see each other. I moved in with my sick dad to care for him and he complains all the time about my cooking (he loves bland food). I guess I feel like I got through the toughest part but now I'm just in a rut and still feeling down. I'm constantly reminded that, even though we're faithful now, my wife has the capacity to have sex with other men and not care how I feel.

OldFella Where is everybody ?
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Its been quite some time since I used this forum, and now when I feel at my worst I notice thee is very few people posting here anymore? I was hoping to connect to some like minded people in similar situations as myself...Alone, oldish (63), and very... View more

Its been quite some time since I used this forum, and now when I feel at my worst I notice thee is very few people posting here anymore? I was hoping to connect to some like minded people in similar situations as myself...Alone, oldish (63), and very depressed. I have no friends in the city which I live, they have all died or moved away, there is literally no-one here I can relate to anymore. I am on medication for depression and often wonder why it seems not to work. It is very hard to get appointments anymore with health professionals. Is there some other part of this forum I am not seeing ? The post's here all are dated very long ago........

JustBlah Stuck
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I could write this in my daily journal but the dogs ripped it up yesterday. Normally I would be so upset about that but I’m at the point of not caring. I had another suicide attempt last week and woke up again. Clearly not meant to go. I know it is t... View more

I could write this in my daily journal but the dogs ripped it up yesterday. Normally I would be so upset about that but I’m at the point of not caring. I had another suicide attempt last week and woke up again. Clearly not meant to go. I know it is the most selfish thing to say and do. Now I am stuck. Can't do anything unless it is the eleventh hour and I am rushing around like a mad women beating up on myself for feeling so lazy and useless. I'm on medication. I have had the same psychiatrist for 32 years and we decided we are both retiring this year! Just venting

Casper-23 Bad day
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Hi all. This is my first post. I am having a bad day and can’t get motivated to get off the couch. I slept in really late then got up and put the tv on and have barely moved. Have read lots of posts about exercise but can’t think of anything worse. I... View more

Hi all. This is my first post. I am having a bad day and can’t get motivated to get off the couch. I slept in really late then got up and put the tv on and have barely moved. Have read lots of posts about exercise but can’t think of anything worse. I am eating my way through a box of chocolates. Might as well finish them now! I don’t have many friends but am having a fight with one of them which is really upsetting me. I nearly didn’t go to lunch yesterday because she was going to be there. I went and it was really uncomfortable and awkward. I know I am being immature and making things work and that this is a pattern for me but so hard to change. (I am not young so should know better) I have huge self esteem and self worth issues which I work on but obviously nothing is working today. Thanks for reading.

zippedzipp Struggling with PCOS and weight loss, which is the main cause of my depression. Everyday is hard.
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Hi everyone,The past two years have been terrible for me. I am almost 24 and feel like I wasting my life. I'm incredibly depressed, and the main reason for that is because I have extreme body image issues. So much so that I never want to leave the ho... View more

Hi everyone,The past two years have been terrible for me. I am almost 24 and feel like I wasting my life. I'm incredibly depressed, and the main reason for that is because I have extreme body image issues. So much so that I never want to leave the house because I am so ashamed of how much weight I've put on in such a short amount of time. I don't even want to see my friends. Today I was diagnosed with PCOS. I'm at a breaking point now as although it's good I finally have a diagnosis that explains so much of why I'm feeling the way I am, it's also super frustrating to have a life-long condition that just makes losing weight harder + a bunch of other things (anxiety, depression, fatigue, infertility). I'm just very upset and overwhelmed today. I mourn the way I was before the weight starting piling on. I'm in a toxic habit of looking back at old photos of my when I was skinny and happy and I burst into tears look at them. I used to write music and play in a band and have a lot of fun and now I just feel like a boring, overweight loser. My creativity has gone too, I can't write music like how I used to. Everything is just so much harder now. I mourn my old self so so much and I would do anything to be like her again. But I can't because of this stupid PCOS diagnosis. I just feel like life is trying to tell me to just give up.I really don't know what to do from here. I would love it if there was someone else out there who feels the same way I do, and also has PCOS?

Horndog So lonely, friends please?
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So we’re Ari and we are a young adult with autism and depression and a dissociated identity (multiple senses of self). We have currently been in hospital for a few months to recover from an attempted suicide, and we want friends like us.Anybody like ... View more

So we’re Ari and we are a young adult with autism and depression and a dissociated identity (multiple senses of self). We have currently been in hospital for a few months to recover from an attempted suicide, and we want friends like us.Anybody like us? We like drawing, basketball, badminton, playgrounds, horses and farm animals, cartoons, nature and biology, psychology and consciousness, writing music. Parts of us are learning how ok it is to be autistic, rather than feel bad about who we are. Parts of us don’t feel safe in this world and around other humans yet, not even others our own age, only online. We stayed mute at school, so this whole friendship thing is new, and parts feel very sad we missed out on playing with friends. Part of us feels very mentally ill, but other parts feel stable and well. Not to mention the broken foot. Anybody out there? (Sorry for the negativity, parts of us are very excited).

Jess33 No-one is listening
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I have bipolar and in the midst of a severe depressive episode. I have been asking for help for over a month, screaming it for the past 2 week. No-one is listening. I saw my GP who did a slight med adjustment but wont change them with out a psych (wh... View more

I have bipolar and in the midst of a severe depressive episode. I have been asking for help for over a month, screaming it for the past 2 week. No-one is listening. I saw my GP who did a slight med adjustment but wont change them with out a psych (which i understand), I have called private psychiatrists but theyre not taking new pts. I called triage multiple times with no answer so I left a msg with my name and number, never recieve a call back. I said 'no' when friends have asked if im ok but its brushed over. I have cancelled family xmas saying I cant handle it. NOONE has checked in, not once! There is one thing and one thing alone that is keeping me putting one foot in front of the other. My kids! Im scared that Im getting to the point where thats not even enough. The negative thoughts are getting stronger. I feel like im failing everyone and everything. Im past the point of crying, im just empty now. I dont know how else to ask for help.

unicornpopcorn Breakup
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My boyfriend wants to breakup and I am feeling depressed about it

My boyfriend wants to breakup and I am feeling depressed about it

Jubba Cancer + depression
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Hi, bugger I’m not sure what to say! I guess it’s this my ex when she found out that my cancer was getting worse left the very next day cleaning out the bank accounts cancelling the RSPCA insurance and his Vet Pay for my dog who needs surgery on his ... View more

Hi, bugger I’m not sure what to say! I guess it’s this my ex when she found out that my cancer was getting worse left the very next day cleaning out the bank accounts cancelling the RSPCA insurance and his Vet Pay for my dog who needs surgery on his hind leg I suppose this might sound trivial to most people and it might well be it might be me that’s looking at this the wrong way but she cleaned out the banks and moved to America so I have no chance of getting any of it back ever again so being left without any warning just one day everything is gone and good riddance to her! my situation is dire I can’t get a medical clearance to go back work because of the cancer plus before she left she gave me a good dose of the worst flu I’ve ever had the flu turned into pneumonia then to pleurisy then to shingles I have a collapsed left lung and only 40% capacity left in my right lung and on top of this I had 2 strokes possibly 3 strokes and that was in the first month after her leaving me in a pile of dung but I’m happy she’s gone at least I’ll die in peace or maybe this is will get a lot worse I could fall over pass out and get eaten alive by ants!…and with all that going on I have very little money left to pay the rent and other bills I have no friends or family and I don’t really want any but some advise might be helpful, see I don’t take drugs I don’t drink and because of this fact I’m not considered for any urgent help or any support as I’ve had none except for the doctor screwing up on trying to remove a cancer from my left cheek on my face not my butt anyway it’s now spreading over my face and into my left eye and on top of this I can’t afford the surgery to help my dog this part really sucks and hurts me a lot to the point I can’t find a solution to the problems they have overwhelmed me in every way so everyone on this site I guess I know how you all feel maybe not all but a small amount of you nice people that are also suffering and with that, that’s all I’ve got to say. PS I can’t even talk to a councillor or a psychiatrist cause I might mention the word medical euthanasia then they call the cops and I get shoved into ambulance and dragged of to some place unknown this has happened countless times over and over again then they let me go with all the same problems but worse cause all my neighbours think I’m crazy thanks to the cops and ambos this last part might be true but still it’s not helpful it’s very damaging to one’s self esteem that has already been crushed by circumstances.maybe this is how lambs feel when being surrounded by wolves!Kind RegardsJubba

Resal move into brand new house and depressed
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After building for almost 3 years we just moved into our brand new house. Instead of being excited or happy, my depression and anxiety has gone into overdrive. I haven't been able to function for the past few days. For the past 9 months we have lived... View more

After building for almost 3 years we just moved into our brand new house. Instead of being excited or happy, my depression and anxiety has gone into overdrive. I haven't been able to function for the past few days. For the past 9 months we have lived with my wifes mother after having sold our previous home. Although living with my mother inlaw was at times chalanging, not to mention we have three daughters in tow, her home has always felt like a sanctuary. Although I know we had to move into our new house, the feelings, emotions and this darkness is just overwelmimg. I feel like such a total failure and fraud to my wife and kids. What should be an exciting happy time has become nothing but. I'm left alone because my wife doesn't the kids to be around my misery and I totally understand that. I really think they would do a lot better if I just wasn't around any more. This darkness has been in my life for so long and this new house home was meant to be the answer to a better life, but that doesn't seem to be how it will go.